i need to buy a sibling a laptop for college, which means it needs to have good battery life and be portable. the sony vaio i bought had neither, and idk what to buy. i'm looking in the $500-750 range. doenst have to be fast, but would prefer a dual-core processor and at least 1gb ram. what would you guys recommend?

Here is what I got.

Gateway XPH Cel-M 1.4GHz 512MB 32MB-S DVD±RW 60GB 15.4" $529.97 Lenovo XPP P-M 1.4GHz 512MB 32MB COMBO 40GB 14.1" XGA SWVA $547.52 Gateway XPH P-M 1.6GHz 512MB 64MB-S DVD±RW 60GB 14" WXGA $549.97 Gateway XPH P-M 1.7GHz 512MB 32MB-S DVD±RW 60GB 14.1" $549.97 Gateway XPH Cel-M 1.5GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW 60GB 15.4" $549.97 Gateway XPH Cel-M 1.5GHz 512MB 32MB-S COMBO 60GB 14.1" $549.99 Gateway XPH Cel-M 1.4GHz 256MB 32MB-S COMBO 40GB 15.4" $549.99 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 512MB 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $549.99 Acer XPH Sempron 1.8Ghz 512MB DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA CB $569.97 Acer VHB Cel-M 1.73GHz 512MB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 17" SXGA+ CB $579.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" $579.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 512MB upto 64MB DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $579.99 Gateway XPH P-M 1.7GHz 512MB 32MB-S DVD±RW 80GB 14" $589.97 HP / Compaq XPH Cel-M 1.6GHz 512MB 128MB-S COMBO 80GB 15.4" $589.99 Acer XPMC 2005 2.0GHz 1GB DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $595.25 Joy Systems VHB Cel-M 1.73GHz 512MB 128MB-S COMBO 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $596.27 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 14.1" $597.29 Systemax P-M 1.7GHz 1GB COMBO 60GB 15.4" SXGA $599.97 Systemax XPP Spn P-M 1.73GHz 1GB COMBO 80GB 15.4" $599.97 Gateway XPH P-M 1.73GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" $599.97 Systemax 1.73GHz 512MB upto 64MB-S COMBO 80GB 15.4" $599.97 Systemax Cel-M 1.6GHz 512MB COMBO 60GB 15" XGA SWVA $599.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" $599.97 Systemax XPP Spn 1.6GHz 1GB COMBO 60GB $599.97 Gateway XPH Cel-M 1.4GHz 256MB upto 64MB-S COMBO 40GB 14" $599.99 HP / Compaq XPH SP2 Sempron 2.0GHz 512MB 128MB-S COMBO 80GB 15.4" $599.99 Acer VHP Semp 1.8Ghz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 14.1" SXGA+ CB $599.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 2GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 160GB 15.4" $599.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 14.1" $599.99 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 512MB 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $599.99 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" $609.97 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 1GB 128MB DVD±RW DL 80GB 14.1" $609.99 Acer VHP Semp 1.8Ghz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 14.1" SXGA+ CB $619.97 Acer XPH 1.6GHz 1GB DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" SXGA+ CB $619.99 Gateway XPH P-M 1.7GHz 512MB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW 60GB 15.4" $620.99 Gateway XPMC 2005 1.86Ghz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" $627.09 Gateway XP TABLET P-M 1.73GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 14" WXGA X-E $629.97 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $629.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 14.1" $629.99 Gateway XPH P4 3.06GHz 512MB upto 64MB DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" $649.97 Gateway XPH P-M 1.5GHz 512MB 32MB COMBO 60GB 15" XGA $649.97 Gateway XPH P-M 1.6GHz 512MB UMA DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" WXGA $649.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 512MB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" $649.97 HP / Compaq XPH 1.8Ghz 512MB 128MB-S 80GB 14" $649.97 Acer VHP 2.0GHz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $649.97 Gateway XPMC 2005 1.86Ghz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB $649.99 Gateway XPMC 2005 1.86Ghz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB $649.99 Toshiba VHB Cel-M 1.6GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $649.99 Gateway XPH Ath 64 3400+ 1GB 64MB DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $649.99 Gateway XPH Ath 64 1.6GHz 1GB 64MB DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" UXGA IPS $649.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 2GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $649.99 Gateway XPMC 2005 2.0GHz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $649.99 Toshiba VHB 1.6GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $665.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB DVD±RW 120GB 15.4" $668.99 Gateway XPH P-M 2.8GHz 512MB COMBO 60GB 15.4" WXGA $669.97 Gateway XPH 1.66GHz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $669.99 Acer VHB Cel-M 1.86Ghz 512MB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $669.99 Acer VHP Semp 1.8Ghz 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 14.1" SXGA+ CB $669.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 2GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 160GB 15.4" $669.99 Ultra PC XPH Cel-M 1.86Ghz 512MB COMBO 60GB 15.4" WXGA $672.17 Gateway XPH 1.66GHz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" $679.97 Gateway XPH P-M 1.86Ghz 1GB DVMT DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" $679.99 Gateway XPH Ath 64 2.6GHz 1GB 256MB DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" $679.99 Gateway XPH 1.6GHz 2GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 160GB 15.4" $679.99 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" $679.99 HP / Compaq XPH Sempron 1.8Ghz 512MB 128MB-S COMBO 80GB 15.4" $689.97 Gateway XPH 1.8Ghz 1GB 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" $693.62 Gateway XPH P-M 1.7GHz 1GB 32MB-S DVD±RW 100GB 14" $694.99 Acer VHP Sempron 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15" XGA SWVA $695.09 Averatec XP MEDIA 1.6GHz 1GB 100GB 12.1" XGA SWVA $695.23 Acer VHP Sempron 1GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15" XGA SWVA $695.37 Joy Systems VHB 1.6GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $696.00 Acer XPMC 2005 1.6GHz 1GB 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 120GB 17" SXGA+ CB $696.21 Toshiba VHB Cel-M 1.6GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" WXGA TB $696.98 Systemax MS Vista U 1.73GHz 1GB upto 64MB-S COMBO 60GB 15.4" $699.97 Gateway XPMC 2005 Ath 64 2.2GHz 512MB upto 64MB-S DVD±RW DL 100GB 15.4" $699.97 Acer VHP 1.6GHz 1GB DVD±RW 120GB 15.4" $699.97 Gateway XPP 1.8Ghz 1GB COMBO 80GB 15.4" $699.97 Joy Systems XPH 1.86Ghz 512MB 8-128MB S COMBO 60GB 14.1" WXGA TB $699.99 Joy Systems XPH P-M 1.73GHz 512MB 8-128MB S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $699.99 Gateway XPH 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 160GB 15.4" $699.99 Gateway XPMC 2005 1.6GHz 2GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $699.99 Gateway XPH P-M 1.73GHz 1GB DVD±RW 80GB 17" $709.97 Toshiba VHB 1.73GHz 512MB 128MB-S DVD±RW DL 80GB 15.4" WXGA TB $716.89 Gateway XP MEDIA P-M 1.86Ghz 1GB 128MB-S DVD±RW 100GB 15.4" $719.97 Joy Systems XPH P-M 1.73GHz 512MB 8-128MB S DVD±RW DL 80GB 14" WXGA TB $719.99 Gateway XPH 1.73GHz 2GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $719.99 Gateway XPH Ath 64 3400+ 1GB DVD±RW 80GB 15.4" $719.99 Gateway XPMC 2005 1.6GHz 2GB DVD±RW DL 120GB 15.4" $725.83

This is what i have for $500-$750. I stopped at $725 due to shipping. Let me know if you see anything you like. Also no mark up since your a nico member!

woah, sorry about the huge list there..

wwwwhhhhoaaahhhh, thats a really long list, but thanks a lot. ill look through all of it tmrw.

Sorry for making it so long. Let me know more of what your looking for and i can reduce it A LOT. Like operating system, hard drive size. Dvd burner..etc.

Once we get down to a couple that you really like I can send you pictures of them.

When it comes to laptops under around $1300 or so, it's harder to find something of good quality. I've had a lot of hands on experience with the big companies like HP, Gateway, Toshiba, Sony, Apple, Compaq, and IBM. Of those listed, I really like the Gateways the best, as far as lower priced models go. They were built solid, full size keyboards, and you can find dual core AMD cpu's in them for relatively cheap.

I would stay away from cheap Sony's and Toshiba's. Just junk. Cheap fitting pieces, flimsy plastic, crappy components.

Quick Tip: If you want a long battery life DON'T USE VISTA!!! I get less than 50% of my battery since I upgraded to Vista. Terrible going to ditch it in like a month when I can get all my files off of it.

+1 for Ken, good guy to do biz with.

(Which reminds me, I need to pick up some more memory for my T43...)

my cousin had a vaio...

ugh... never again...

haha..im posting from a vaio right now actually.. its 4 years old, runs was faster than my pc, but dvd drive only works when it wants to ( 2% of the time)

I was hoping to get a dual-core processor and a dvd burner for cheap, i dont need much hard drive space at all

honestly, those are excellent prices. I got a great deal on my HP dv8333cl(core duo t2400, 2 gig 667mhz ram, 200gb, 8x dvd-/+ dl, 17 inch screen, geforce 7600 with "fake" 512mb ram), but seriously those are pretty damn good prices

from what i have read of the manufacturers who make PC

IBM and toshiba have the best track record for reliability

i had a dell a loooong time ago and didnt like it, but that was another age.

my hp is great though. tough as nails

AZhitman wrote:+1 for Ken, good guy to do biz with.

(Which reminds me, I need to pick up some more memory for my T43...)

Comes with 512mb, can add up to 2gb on a IBM T43.

$30shipped for 51245 shipped for 1gb

Ken, easy to swap?

very easy. Flip the laptop over, one phillips head screw to unscrew. I can explain it over the phone.

Ken, if you sell me 2GB, what will I notice differently?

And, what do I do with my current memory?

AZhitman wrote:Ken, if you sell me 2GB, what will I notice differently?

And, what do I do with my current memory?

Danielekfuj, still helping you out to.

Greg, if you only hav 512mb and you do a lot of things you should notice a difference. You really dont need that much if you are still running XP. But if you plan to upgrade to vista later on it would be a good idea.

As with your old memory... I dunno..sell it on ebay.

Sorry Daniel.

Hey Ken, I would like to get a Acer as5100-3825 . What do youthink of this choice? Also, Newegg is runnung a deal on it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...15361

How much could you get it for?

$598+shipping. But it doesnt come with that notebook case...

Hey man, sorry about that. I did not see that the first time I looked.

I do have a new one but its $739+ship. So new egg beat me on that one.

Acer makes a decent computer, as long as you install XP or Linux over the existing Vista install.

okay,

im going to be THAT GUY...

I am recommending a macbook. get the 13 inch macbook. it comes loaded with anything that a college student could ever want and the new Leopard operating system is the bomb. When i shopped for computers i went to all these places and i put a friends mac against computers that cost less but had the same specs, but not the software to back it up. a laptop is only as good as its construction and software.

my father in law just got three HP computers...he paid 700+ per computer after rebate, and then he had to pay for an additional 400$ in software...they still dont perform like my wifes macbook. which you can get for 999 if you are a student, plus they have printer/scanner/copier rebates and ipod rebates to go with it.

I will say that macs are not for everyone, but definitely check it out. i would spend the few extra dollars for a better constructed and as a whole a much better all around reputation. the initial price tag is higher, but you dont need all the extra software that you must have to keep your PC from choking so they are affordable...you could pay 600 or 700 for a pc computer, but then you are not done...

watch this toohttp://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/http:// ... cbook.html

thread jack!

I don't think I can sort through that list and stay sane.right now I have a POS toshiba with a celeron M processor(yes, it's a bit slow) and the battery life sux from the factory...I don't even know how much I could sell this thing for...I mean, it's in great cond, but a poor laptop to begin with.

but what would you suggest really with dual core and good battery life like the OP stated? bear in mind that I cannot get a job over here and I need to sell this one I have...

unless I could throw in a dual core processor and a new battery like I threw in that ram! ...didn't think so...